Celebrating the launch of the new Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, the singer, songwriter and Coca-Cola fan Rita Ora joins us at our pop-up Taste Lounge in Central London.

Clouds of dry ice, giant bubbles popping and the sound of ice gently clinking in a glass. The Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Taste Lounge has been developed to tickle all the senses, but above all: taste. It’s the perfect place to savour your first experience of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar – the drink that’s replaced Coca-Cola Zero and now tastes even more like Coca-Cola Classic, but without the sugar.

Igniting your senses

The Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Taste Lounge is nestled between bustling shops just off Oxford Circus in London’s trendy Soho. It’s been specially designed with a series of zones intended to ignite your senses.

Wandering up the red carpet on a hot and sticky summer’s day in central London, its doors swing wide open, inviting you into the cool and refreshing lounge. The first thing you see is a stunning halo-effect bar with dry ice cascading over its top. Here you’re handed an ice-cold bottle of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar to thirstily devour.

Around you are groups of people laughing and chatting while sipping from contour bottles of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. There’s an atmosphere of excitement as you enjoy your drink and eagerly wait for the famous guest.

Star approval

Suddenly the singer and songwriter Rita Ora arrives to a burst of applause. She waves at the crowd and giggles as she adjusts the belt on her black and red dress – which beautifully matches the colours of the Taste Lounge.

“If you’re like me and you love the original Coca-Cola but want to enjoy it without the sugar, then this is perfect for you.”- Rita Ora

“I’ve always been a huge Coca-Cola fan,” says Rita, looking glamorous as she sips a bottle of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar through a stripy red straw. “So I’m happy that there’s now a Coca-Cola that tastes just as good as the classic but without the sugar.

”If you’re like me and love the original Coca-Cola but want to enjoy it without the sugar then this is perfect for you.”

Wandering over to another part of the lounge, you find a giant interactive screen displaying Coca-Cola with ice and bubbles bobbing around. Touching the screen moves the ice or pops the bubbles, almost making you feel like you’re submerged in one of the cold contour glasses.

The final zone is the sight and sound lounge, with comfy chairs and a relaxed feel. Here you can sit cocooned in a cosy egg chair, complete with hidden speakers that play a mouthwatering melody of refreshing sounds: the sound of a bottle of Coca-Cola being cracked open, the fizz of the bubbles, the glug of the drink being poured into the glass and the clink of ice cubes.

On the walls there are dozens of bottles of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, with their distinctive black and red branding reflected in mirrors, which make it look as if the rows of bottles go on forever.

All these zones combine to provide the ultimate setting to try Coca-Cola Zero Sugar for the first time.

‘Part of our commitment to reduce sugar’

The launch of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is all part of the Coca-Cola system’s commitment to reducing the amount of sugar we all consume. As Jon Woods, General Manager Coca-Cola Great Britain says: “We know that millions of people across the UK love the taste of Coca-Cola Classic, so we’re excited to unveil new Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.”

“We’ve spent years developing this new recipe to get even closer to the original,” says Jon. “That’s important because we know a growing number of our consumers want to reduce their sugar intake but have been reluctant to try a no sugar option because they don’t think they taste as good as the original.”

‘Tastes exactly like Coca-Cola Classic’

As well as Rita, there are scores of fans enjoying their first taste of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar while soaking up the sights and sounds of the Taste Lounge. What did they think of the new drink? “It’s fab,” says Kiran from Essex. “It’s really refreshing. And it tastes exactly like Coca-Cola Classic. You would never think that there isn’t any sugar in it.”

“Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 100% tastes like Coca-Cola Classic. If you closed your eyes you would think that’s what you were drinking.”- Grace, a Coca-Cola Zero Sugar fan from London

Ashlea from Bath says the Taste Lounge is the perfect place to enjoy her first taste of the new drink. “It’s a fantastic experience. And I love the drink – it’s incredible how it doesn’t have any sugar whatsoever.”

Grace from London agrees: “It 100% tastes like Coca-Cola Classic. If you closed your eyes you would think that’s what you were drinking.”

Want to try Coca-Cola Zero Sugar?

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is out now to buy across the UK. Or if you’re lucky, you might be able to pick up one of the 4.5 million free samples of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar that are being given away this summer.

The launch of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is just one of the ways we’re helping you to enjoy less sugar. Find out more about how we’re helping you to reduce the sugar in your diet.